Postecoglou Commends Ten Hag Ahead Of Sunday’s Clash

Ange Postecoglou has lauded the efforts of under-pressure Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag as Tottenham prepares for their clash on Sunday at Old Trafford. A lackluster draw against Twente in the Europa League has intensified the scrutiny on Ten Hag. Man United squad has managed to secure only three victories in their first seven matches of the season.

Postecoglou Praises ‘Under Pressure’ Ten Hag

Ange Postecoglou was eager to praise Ten Hag and recognized his remarkable title record in the high-pressure atmosphere at Old Trafford. The Spurs boss said: “I think Erik’s in a really tough job and he’s done really well. He keeps mentioning he’s won two trophies and that’s not insignificant, everyone keeps telling me that’s all I have to do, but it’s not all you have to do, because when you do that there’s always more. He’s done a great job, a difficult job.”

Postecoglou continued: “I don’t know who coined the phrase “the impossible job”, but I think it’s become even more impossible now. It seems like success is not enough if it doesn’t have identity, [and] identity is not enough unless it’s followed by aesthetics. Aesthetics are not enough unless they’re followed by legacy. There’s always another layer. It seems like no one is doing a good job unless you win the competition at the end of the year. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of understanding of progress or the circumstances that people have to work under at times.

He continued, “But it’s just the nature of the role. I don’t think that’s going to change. I guess it’s about how you respond to it, how you react to it, how you let it affect you. The more experience you have maybe the better you deal with these things.”

Postecoglou’s Awful Away Record

Tottenham’s away form under Postecoglou has shown a lack of consistency. Spurs secured 14 points from their first six away fixtures, but their performance has since dipped, with only 14 points collected from 15 away matches. Tottenham has recorded the lowest number of away victories among all teams in the Premier League over the past two seasons since November 2023. Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace have managed to surpass Spurs away record during this stretch.

Conclusion

Since the stunning 6-1 rout of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side back in October 2020, Spurs have not yet won at Old Trafford. Son Heung-Min was the star of that match, netting two goals. However, ahead of their upcoming clash, Postecoglou has indicated that a decision on Son’s fitness will be made closer to kickoff. The forward received treatment on the field and was then substituted during Spurs’ emphatic 3-0 triumph over Qarabag in the Europa League.

It will be an interesting clash to witness because the two teams have had a mixed start to the season. While the hosts, Manchester United, are 11th in the table with two wins in the opening five games, the away team, Tottenham, sits one position above them at 10th. This is also a fixture to climb up the ladder and reach closer to the top teams.

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